Our teaching program

Undergraduate program: Tourism and Hospitality major

Tourism and hospitality are rapidly growing industries that offer a variety of career paths in areas such as tourism development, events and festival organisation, and hotel resort management.

This major will provide you with the knowledge and skills to become an effective manager in the tourism and hospitality sectors within Australia and overseas.

You will:

• study contemporary issues in international tourism
• examine sustainability practices of tourism and hospitality businesses
• learn about the wider impacts of tourism and hospitality upon the local and global economy
• get an insight into destination management and marketing organisations
• examine critical aspects of hospitality management
• understand the role of marketing in tourism and hospitality.

Furthermore, work integrated learning will assist you in gaining valuable industry knowledge and study tour opportunities will give you a national and potentially international experience.

“My chosen degree and connections through Curtin enabled me to attend national conferences and build networks that I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to, including the Council for Australasian Tourism and Hospitality Education Conference in Adelaide in 2012.”

Emma Gaunt, Previous Curtin Honours Student
Bachelor of Commerce (Tourism and Hospitality, Public Relations) (Honours)

High achieving students may complete an additional honours year enabling them to undertake their own significant research project.

For more information see: Bachelor of Commerce (Tourism and Hospitality)

Honours program

Curtin Business School offers a one-year program leading to the award of a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours). Eligible students may choose to specialise in Tourism and Hospitality within the honours program. The program is offered to students who have completed undergraduate studies in Tourism and Hospitality at an above-average level. Entry into the program is highly competitive.

The honours year provides a structured introduction to research at an advanced level, developing both technical and analytical skills and reinforcing critical and independent thinking. You complete one semester of coursework units with an emphasis on research methods, and in semester two, undertake a major academic research dissertation under the supervision of a School of Marketing academic. You can choose your project to be relevant to future employers or simply a topic you’re passionate about. Bursaries may be available to work on specific projects.

“Looking back, the decision to do honours has been critical to my journey and my ongoing success. Having an honours qualification opened many doors: the opportunity to lecture at a university level, develop global lecturing experience, secure a non-graduate/entry level position within the state government, and be offered an attractive Doctor of Philosophy scholarship. But it takes self-motivation, determination, persistence and lots of hard work. As the saying goes, nothing good is ever easy!”

Anthea Wesley, Previous Curtin honours student
Honours thesis topic on — Coastal Tourism Governance: Insights from Smiths Beach, Western Australia.

For more information see: Honours Program